Union organiser, former submariner Stephen Mears stands for council on Labor ticket

Union organiser and lead Labor council candidate Stephen Mears knows a thing or two about dealing with conflict, and it's not what you're thinking.

Spending six years underwater operating the radios in the Royal Australian Submarine Squadron taught him how to set aside differences to get the job done.

His Navy service explains why Mr Mears wanted to be photographed in front of the Anzac gates.

If elected to council, Mr Mears said he would leave disagreements at the door and make decisions on the basis of merit, not personality.

Read more: Tamworth Regional Council 2021 local government election candidates

"I loved it [the navy], it was a very, very close-knit community who had to put all of their differences aside and work together," he said.

"Even if you had a really big falling out with somebody you certainly couldn't carry that at sea or while you were working ... while you were at sea it was a combined team effort, not only for safety but to maintain the integrity of the submarine."

The Labor party is running a five-person ticket for the Tamworth Regional Council, and Mr Mears likes their odds.

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He said he'd take the same approach on council, determining issues on merit and making sure to keep disagreements with other councillors in perspective.

The organiser and industrial officer for the Public Service Association and Community and Public Sector Union of NSW said he wants to aim for a city that builds enough infrastructure to keep up with population growth.

"There's no sense bringing 100,000 people into the region and then deciding we need a new dam, or new infrastructure," he said.

"I think that those infrastructure projects should be well-and-truly in advance of the increase in population."

He's got a particular interest in making sure there is adequate social housing built to accommodate poorer people in the bigger city.

Mr Mears identified "significant increases in housing prices", forcing people out of the housing market, as the city's biggest risk over the next decade or so.

The Labor party ticket hasn't accepted a dollar from the party organisation, he said, and candidates wouldn't be directed in any way by it, if elected.

Costs like the registration fee were paid by individual candidates, and any further expenses will be fundraised locally, or fall again on the individual.

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